Lincoln City Boasts Worlds Smallest Trail

Lincoln City, OR has the World’s Shortest River, and now – the World’s Shortest Park Trail.

Lincoln City Parks & Recreation (LCP&R) announced their brand-new World’s Shortest Park Trail. This very short 135 ft paved park trail is located within the open space on the southeast side of the new Schooner Creek Discovery Park. This trail traverses park wetlands, creating an environmentally friendly way for hikers to enjoy the natural wetlands and Schooner Creek, which empties into the Pacific Ocean. This mini trail offers an enchanting glimpse into nature that any hiker can appreciate.

The trail is constructed and paved with compacted natural stone, and is surrounded by native plantings from Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, including salal, huckleberry, twinberry, and cedar. The trail also hosts a bench, so hikers can take a breather on their .02 mile trek. As LCP&R was unable to verify this status with Guinness Book of World Records due to Guinness’ required cost starting at $14k, LCP&R goggled their own research.  LCP&R Director Jeanne Sprague says ‘I couldn’t justify spending more funds on bragging rights than spent on the actual trail construction. We’ve done our work and found no shorter paved public park trail. Believe me, this trail is teeny-tiny.’

LCP&R welcomes any competitors in the designation of World’s Shortest Park Trail – and has voiced if there is competition, they will simply make their trail shorter. ‘Game on!’ says LCP&R Parks Supervisor Monte Demaris. ‘I’ve never seen a trail shorter than this one but I’d like to see someone try!’ After conquering this petite trail, the public is encouraged to take a picture with the sign “World’s Shortest Park Trail” and share.

Constructed with compacted natural stone, the trail is flanked by vibrant native plants generously provided by the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership. As you stroll along, look out for lovely salal, huckleberry, twinberry, and cedar that enhance the trail's natural beauty. To ensure visitors can pause and soak in the serene environment, a cozy bench awaits at the end of your .02-mile trek. It's the perfect spot to catch your breath after conquering this pint-sized path!

While LCP&R considered reaching out to the Guinness Book of World Records to officially confirm their claim of having the shortest paved public park trail, the costs proved too steep, starting at a hefty $14,000. Rather than let that deter them, LCP&R conducted their own research and proudly stand by their claim. Director Jeanne Sprague humorously noted, “I couldn’t justify spending more funds on bragging rights than on the actual trail construction. Believe me, this trail is teeny-tiny!”

But hold onto your hiking boots—LCP&R isn’t just resting on its laurels! They eagerly invite rival contenders for the title of World’s Shortest Park Trail. Parks Supervisor Monte Demaris exclaimed, “Game on! I’ve never seen a trail shorter than this one, but I’d love to see someone try!”

After taking on the world's tiniest trail, don’t forget to snap a picture with the sign proclaiming “World’s Shortest Park Trail” and share the moment with friends. A special shoutout goes to the Oregon Parks Foundation for their generous $2,000 grant funding the trail and to the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership 501c3 for beautifying the area with native plantings. So grab your friends, head on down, and discover this charming little trail that’s as one-of-a-kind as Lincoln City itself.